Folding ornament of expansible tissue



June 9, 1931. H. E. LUHRS FOLDING ORNAMENT OF EXPANSIBLE TISSUE 3 Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1930 INVENTOR ATTORNEY .June 9, 1931. H. E. LUHRS 1,309,593

FOLDING ORNAMENT OF EXPANSIBLE TISSUE Filed Feb. 21, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Jyme'9, 1931. H. E. LUHRS FOLDING ORNAMENT OF EXPANSIBLE TISSUE 3 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 21, 1930 Patented June 9, 1 931 messes HENRY IE. LUHRS, OF SHIPPENSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGINOR TO THETBEISTIJE COMPANY, OF SHIPPENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IPENNSYJL- VANIA FOLDINGOENAMENT OF EXPANSIBLE TISSUE Application filed. February 21, 1930.

This invention relates to folding ornaments made from expansible tissue, suchas Christmas bells, valentines, etc.

A principal object of the invention is toform a folding ornament of this general class in which the base member, usually of cardboard or similar materials, is formed inone integral piece instead of in two separate pieces as has been the practice'inthe past, and

the tab used for the hinge lock is an integral homogeneous piece with the base, being preferably stamped or cut from the base.

In an alternate form of the invention the base is formed in two pieces connected together adjacent the line of fold, and the tab for the hinge lock is homogeneous with one of the pieces forming the base.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

While preferred forms of the invention have been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes may be made in the disclosure without departingfrom the spiritand scope of the invention as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a valentme formed of expansible tissue paper andembodying the invention.

Figure 2 is entineof Figure 1. V

Figure 8 is a perspective looking down at the top of the valentine shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure a is a plan view of the valentine shown in Figures 1 and 2m folded condition. Figure 5 is a front elevation of a different type of valentine embodying modifications 40 of the invention. I I

Figure 6 is a rear perspective of thevalentine shown in Figure 5.

F e 7 is a perspective of the rear side of a 3: e member for a valent ne incorporating a still further modified form of the invention. Figure 8 is a front plan view of the base member snown in Figure 7.

In the prior art practice of making ornamental articles of enpansible tissue, such as Christmas bells and valentines, it has been a rear perspective of the val Serial No. 430,155.

usual to first form the expansible tissue in the flat folded-up condition; that is, with the different plies of the expansible tissuein flat, parallel relation as in thefolded valentine shown in Figure 4 of this application. The

different layers or plies of the tissue paper were then riveted orstitched together along the side which forms the hinge whenftl ie expansiblc tissue is opened and closed that'is, the side corresponding to the right side of the article ofFigure 4. After the tissue paper was thus riveted or stitched, aseparate base member was then attached to each side of this tissue paper ornament and these two separate base members were not connected together along the hinge side of the tissue paper insert except by the tissue insert. This type of construction was used, both where the expansible tissue in an open position extended coin pletely around the outer periphery of the article, as in the ordinary Christmas bell,.and where the article when in expanded position consistedofa flat base with the expansible tissue projecting from one side only of the flat base. The present invention is concerned more particularly withthis latter typeof construction.

The ornamental structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a flat base member 10 formed from a single integralpiece of.

cardboard or-other suitable material,'s core d along the line 11 to form the hinge or line of fold. The particular article illustrated in these figures is a valentine in the form 'ofjla heart, but it will be understood that the in vention is not limited to anyparticular shape of article. The tissue paper insert12 is cut to the desired shape and the opposite faces of thetissue paper insert are pasted or otherwise suitably fastened to opposite sides of-the base 10, as will be clear from an inspection of Fig "action. the] two halves of ,urely held together along it, and it therefore not *v to have the layers f f the tissue pape i rt ..,titched or stapled together. One

resmt of this construction is that it is not necessary in all cases to have the tissue paper insert cover the entire base along the hinged line 11. Thus, it will be seen from Figure 3, that the tissue paper insert is spread apart from the hinge line at the upper part of the heart but lies closely over the entire surface of the base at the oint of the heart. In this way it is possi 1e to effect a considerable saving in the size of the tissue paper insert without having any detrimental effect on the external appearance of the ornamentll valentine when looked at from the front, as in Figure 1. The dotted line 13 of Figure 4 shows the right margin of the tissue paper insert and illustrates more clearly how this saving of material is brought about.

Another advantageous result of this con struction is that when the valentine is in folded condition as in Figure 4;, the folded side of the base, that is, along line 11, gives complete protection to the tissue'paper insert and prevents injury or separation of the arts when they are packed for shipment or inserted in envelopes for individual mailing.

In order to hold the valentine in an expanded position a hinge lock is formed by attaching a tab to the base along the fold line 11. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, the foldable tab 14 is formed by slotting the base 10 outwardly from the lilnge line 11 as at 15 and 16 in Figure 2 and connecting the outer end of tthe slot by a vertical cut 17, thereby cutting the tab leifree from the base along three sides and leaving it attached. to the base along the fold line 11. For co-operation with the tab 14; there is a strap 18 of paper or other suitable material which extends over the fold line ll. and tab 14 and has its opposite end secured to the base 10 at 19 and 20. 7

These parts operate in the following manner; I

When the valentine in folded position as in Figure 4, the tab 14 is folded over against the lefthalf of the base 10, that is. the unslotted half, and the strap 18 extends completel around the tab 14 and the hinged edge 11. When the base 10 is flattened out so that its two halves lie in a sha l plane as in Figure 2-, the tab 14 tends tea as due to the resiliency resulting from the fact it is an integral part of the base, to p tion in which the tab 14 extends u fawardly at rightangles to the plane of the base 10.

f necessary, the person opening the valentime can assist the tab to this position. hen the tab 14 reaches this position as illustrated in Figure 2. it frictionally engages the middle part of the strap 18. This frictional en gagement holds the tab 14 in its upward position and, at the same time, holds taut the strap 18 and the latter, due to its attachment to the base at the points 19 and 20, holds the base in its extended position in which both halves lie in a single plane as in and 2.

In this construction the hinged tab 14- is out directly from the material of the base and tends automatically to rise to a locking position when the valentine or other ornamental member is open.

Additional features can be added to the valentine, such as the cord 21 for han ing and the arrow-parts 22 and 23 which are pivoted to the base member in such a manner that they can be folded inwardly for pacle ing as will be clear from Figure 4.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a slightly diiierent embodiment of the invention. In this case base 10 is formed with two of the tabs 14 which are cut out from the stock 01 the base 10, the lower tab 14 being formed with a rearwardly extending foot 24 which serves to support the onrainental member when it is standing on a, table. These figures also illustrate further advantages of economy resulting from the present construction, since the single p ece base 10 can be cut out and printed much more economically than can a two piece base as used in the old construction.

A modification of? the invention is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 in which the base member is formed of two pieces 26 and 27. Each. of these pieces is originally formed with a projecting part 28 which laps over he fold line of the base. One of these projections 28 is left free an d extends rearvardly to form the ta for the hinge loclc, while they other projection 28 pasted over the face of the other l'MlSC member to hold the parts 26 and 27 into an integral hole.

The many ach'antageous results attained by.

the invention above set forth will be clear to one skilled in the art.

I claim:

i. A folding ornament comprising a base formed of twoinenibers integrally connected together along a "fold line, expansible material secured to said base and serving to cause folding oi said members, a tab homogeneous with pa rt of the base, and a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to one half of the base and the other end of the strap being attached to the other half of the base the tab being adapted to engage the strap to hold the base members in unfolded position against the on of said expansible matter.

A folding ornament comprisn'ig a onepiece base member "folded along a. hinge line.

expansible material secured to said base and serving to cause folding of said member, a tab partially cut from the base member and attached to the base member, a strap extend ing across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the hinge line, and the other end of the strap bein attached to the base on the other side of e n the outer edge of said tab engaging the strap when the member is unfolded to hold the member unfolded against the action of said expansible material.

3. A folding ornament comprising a onepiece base member folded along a hinge line, expansible material secured to said base and serving to cause folding of said member, a tab partially cut from the base member and attached to the base member along the hinge line, a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the hinge line, and the other end of the strap being attached to the base on the other side of the hinge line the outer edge of said tab engaging the strap when the member is unfolded to hold the member unfolded against the action of said expansible material.

4:. A folding Ornament comprising a base formed of two members integrally connected together along a fold line, expansible material secured to said base and serving to cause folding of said member, a tab homogeneous with part of the base, the lower edge of the tab being adapted to extend rearwardly from the bottom edge of the base to serve as a foot for the ornament, a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the hinge line, and the other end of the strap being attached to the base on the other side of the hinge line the outer edge of said tab engaging the strap when the member is unfolded to hold the member unfolded against the action of said expansible material.

A folding ornament comprising a onepiece base member folded along a hinge line, expansible material secured to said base'and serving to cause folding of said member, a tab partially cut from the base member and attached to the base member, the lower edge of the tab being adapted to extend rearwardly from the bottom edge of the base to serve as a foot for the ornament, a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end. of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the hinge line, and the other end of the strap being attached to the base on the other side of the hinge line the outer edge of said tab engaging the strap when the member is unfolded to hold the member unfolded against the action of said expansible material. g

G. A folding ornament comprising a base formed of two members inte rally connected together along a fold line, an insert formed of espansible tissue serving to cause folding of said members, one face of the expansible insert being attached to the base on one side of the fold line, the other face of the em pansible tissue being attached to the base on the other side of the fold line, a tab hoinogem-z ons with part of the base a. strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the fold line and the other end of the strap being attached to the base on the other side of the fold line, the tab being adapted to engage the strap to hold the ornament in expanded position against the action of said expansible tissue.

7. A folding ornament comprising a one piece base member folded along a hinge line, an insert formed of expansible tissue serving to cause folding of said member, one face of theexpansible insert being attached to the base on one side of the fold line, the other face of the expansibletissue being attached to the base on the other side of the fold line, atab homogeneous with part of the base, a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side of the fold line and the other end of the strap being attached to the base i on the other side of the fold line, the tab being adapted to engage the strap to hold the ornament in expanded position against the action of said expansible tissue.

8. A folding ornament comprising a base formed of two members integrally connected together along a fold line, an insert formed of expansible tissue serving to cause folding of said members, one face of the expansible insert being attached to the base on. one side of the fold line, the other face of the expansible tissue being attached to the base on the other side of the fold line, a tab partially cut from the base member and attached to the base member, a strap extending across the fold line and over the tab, one end of the strap being attached to the base on one side'of the fold line and the other end of the strap being attached to the base on the other side of the fold line, the tab being adapted to engage the 

